hawk & dove

"I suppose you knew we'd meet eventually, right?" The man known as Extant took one step towards the duo of Hawk and Dove, a smile on his face. Any signs of Hank Hall, whom he'd once been, were gone. In their place were the telltale signatures of madness.

Dove could feel nausea overwhelming her. Extant was pure Chaos, the insanity dripping from him in waves. It was enough to make any servant of Order retch. "So you're Hank Hall. We've spent a lot of time lately wondering about you and Dawn...."

Something shifted in Extant's face, but it was impossible to tell if he was feeling regret or anger. "Don't mention her again. Not yet."

Hawk let out a roar of rage. For some reason, the sight of the man before him filled him with outrage -- to waste all this power, to toss away what Hawk was meant to be... "Damn you, Hall! You could have been part of something amazing! You could have--"

Extant waved a hand, halting the flow of time around him. Hawk hung helplessly in the air, a grimace locked onto his features. "I was part of something amazing, Morrison. My brother and I fought crime for years before he died saving a bunch of kids in the Crisis. That was just like Don -- he never thought of himself, always others. Dawn was the same way... but her story isn't over yet. For that matter, neither is Don's if I have my way."

Time flowed once more, but Hawk's would-be attack was easily dismissed. Extant backhanded the hero as he flew forward, knocking him to the ground. Dove let out a cry of dismay, a white glow swelling brighter and brighter around her. Extant backed away, covering his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about, Extant -- but if you touch my husband again, you'll be sorry."

"The glory of Order doesn't frighten me, Sara. Never did." Extant watched as Dove helped her husband to his feet. Blood flowed freely from Hawk's lower lip, but it was healing already. "Now, do the two of you want answers or not?"

"Depends on what you're charging for the information," Hawk said. "I don't pretend to understand the whole Monarch thing because the few memories I have of your life end with Dawn's death -- but I know that you don't have any excuse. You were under Monarch's helmet, Hall. You killed your partner."

Extant sneered, "Dawn's death was unavoidable. Besides, if you'd been paying attention earlier, you'd know that I plan to resurrect her."

"Exactly. Both Don and Dawn are going to live again -- and the two of you are going to make it all possible. There's a barrier around this cave, one that seems designed to keep me out. But its signature is very similar to yours... the two of you are going inside and you're going to bring them back."

Still... to discover the truth in this fashion... even for I, it is unseemly. We knew that Hall would eventually seek out this new Hawk & Dove, but I did not expect him to sense Granger's essence in any way.

You grow fond of your servant, S'chak. Perhaps overly so. But I know your thoughts and share them -- when we made the decision not to revive Hall and Granger ourselves, we knew it might come to this.

We shouldn't refer to him as 'Hall.' That's always been our mistake. Hall is dead, with only Extant left in his wake. We speak of T'Charr and Terataya.

"This place is a limbo of sorts, residing between life and death. Dawn and I came to this world with the Titans West team a few years ago*. From here, it's possible to contact spirits who haven't quite gone on to the next stage of the afterlife." Extant strode towards a dark cave, from which a foul odor was emerging.

Hawk held Dove's hand tightly in his own. He distrusted Extant, for obvious reasons, but he also knew that once upon a time he'd been a true hero. If there really was a chance to resurrect his brother and partner, Hank might actually be telling the truth about all this. "And both of them are still here?"

Extant halted just before the cave's entrance. "Possibly. Don... I'm not sure about. But Dawn is here right now. I know she is. You see, it finally occurred to me while I was sitting in that prison the JLA tried to trap me in* -- she never really died. Her spirit must have survived."

Dove bit her lip. She could hear the emotion in Extant's voice. "How do you know?"

"Because whenever Dove was hurt, she didn't bleed -- instead her wounds glowed with light. It's because we weren't quite human when we were in our hero forms. We had the essence of Order and Chaos inside us -- and later, we had the spirits of T'Charr and Terataya. But when Monarch -- when I -- killed Dove, she bled. No light flooded out of her* -- because all I killed was a shell. Her spirit was gone."

(*It's true -- check out Armageddon 2001 # 2 and compare it with numerous scenes from the Hawk & Dove series where she was injured. Quite a difference.)

"Because it's inside you." Extant's eyes glittered with power and he grabbed Dove by the arm. "I came here shortly after escaping the JLA's trap* and I knew I was right. Dove had been here. But it had been a very brief stay -- there was only the faintest trace of Dawn's spirit. I followed it to Earth and found it housed inside some girl named Sara Morrison. But there's more of Dawn in this cave, I know it. I want to bring her back to life, using your body!"

(*And taking part in Faux-DC's Justice Society # 1-3! How did Extant bounce back from the Spectre's wrath is a story for another day....)

Hawk's fist made contact with Extant's chin, sending him flying backwards. "Keep your hands off my wife, you bastard!"

Extant looked up, energy swirling about his hands. "You must be kidding! You're nothing but a second-rate version of me, conned into the suit by a couple of wannabe-Lords!"

Hawk jumped forward, driving a hard fist into the timelord's stomach. He rained down more blows at a dizzying rate.

Dove held her ground, not intervening. Both Extant and her husband were creatures of chaos at their core -- but she was of order, and her desires were of a different sort. She could feel... something... within the cave. Not order. Not chaos. But other. She stepped inside, knowing that her questions would at long last be answered. Was she really Dawn Granger, as Hank seemed to think? And, if not, then how and why had she come to possess the memories of her predecessor?

With her heart hammering in her chest, Sara moved deeper into the cave, her light shining the way through the darkness.

Two people stood there, one men and one woman. The woman had reddish hair and freckles, while the man, who appeared much older, had long white hair and a small moustache. Behind them were two large cylinders, in which a swirling array of red and blue energies mingled.

Sara felt her memories shift, as an unfamiliar scene suddenly played out in her head :

Extant shoved Hawk away, feeling his rage start to overwhelm him. "I'm losing interest in this, Morrison. I brought the two of you here for a purpose -- I want Don and Dawn back. They're the only ones I love."

"Boo-hoo. I'm really broken up about all of your pain and suffering. Why haven't you just turned back time and saved them? Can't you do that?"

"You don't understand the nature of time at all! Could I save a Don Hall? Of course! But he wouldn't be my brother! Changing the past only creates other timelines, other variants. I don't want a copy of my brother or my partner. I want the originals."

Extant raked his hand through the air, sending a volley of energy-beams at Hawk. Jake avoided them, nimbly moving close enough to knock Extant's feet from under him. While the villain was attempting to recover, Hawk grappled with him, wrapping his arms tightly around Extant's torso. He began to squeeze, whispering in the madman's ear, "Besides, you forgot something...."

"If my wife has Dawn's memories because Dawn's dead spirit is inside her... then why do I have your memories?"

The redhaired woman stepped beside S'chak and nodded. "And I am Kor, though your memories may tell you that I was once named Loranne. When we were given new lives, our names were changed as well."

"I don't understand... You feel like a Lord of Order, or at least what I've imagined one would be like... and S'chak seems like a Lord of Chaos... Are you the ones who empowered us?"

"It is complicated. As you may or may not recall, we were servants of Order and helped Dawn Granger and Hank Hall accept the spirits of T'Charr and Terataya. For a time, we wandered the mortal world, assuming various guises and always trying to further the cause of Order."

"But it was not to remain so. The day in which Dawn Granger died, we felt the psychic vibrations across the Earth. In the instant before she died, Dawn expelled Terataya from her body so that her essence might live on. Because of the link Terataya shared with T'Charr, he too was wrenched free of his host, leaving Hank Hall to become Monarch. Their spirits were brought here, in the limbo between life and death. Within an hour, Terataya had used the last of its power to teleport the three of us to their sides. We knew that they were far too weak to survive on their own, but we remembered Terataya's final words to us : Remember the Unity. I tossed aside my qualms and accepted Chaos into my heart, so great was my love for Order. I allowed T'Charr to bond with me. Kor took Terataya within her.

Sara could hear the sounds of battle outside and for a moment she contemplated running to Jake's aid -- but she had the feeling that this moment could not be lost. "Why us? Why not anyone else in the world...? If you're the ones who have Dawn and Hank's spirits, then why do we have their memories?"

"You must understand, Sara, that this transformation was not an easy one. We had become one with the spirits of a Lord of Order and a Lord of Chaos. We knew we would be accepted into their ranks with time, but we also knew that the great experiment must continue. A human child, bridging Chaos and Order, must be born*. Though we possessed a portion of Hall and Granger, allowing them to come to the fore would prove far too difficult."

(*The opening scene of the series, with S'chak and Kor debating their course of action, actually took place several years ago. Nobody promised this would be simple, kids.)

"And you didn't mate yourselves for the same reason that Terataya and T'Charr never did, either. For the Unity plan to truly succeed, it must come from human stock. And the two of you were from another dimension and technically not human." Dove tapped her chin. "But that still doesn't explain us."

"We needed to find a new set of champions, Sara. We looked over the whole human race and saw the two of you, lying dead at the side of a road. The two of you had perished in an accident, but your psychological makeups were perfect for our purposes. So we resurrected you, sending forth a portion of our essence. The part of Terataya that had merged with Dawn Granger was placed inside your shell, while T'Charr/Hank Hall now revived your husband."

"Oh my God... You're saying we died ? Then who... what... am I? I'm another dead girl named Dawn?"

"No! Your spirit was fused with a combination of Terataya and Dawn. You are not three individual parts -- you are a Unity unto yourself. So is Jake. Within each of you is not one lifetime, but three."

"But... if we've had those spirits in us for three years, why have the powers only now come to the fore?"

"Because there are many who see the experiment as a threat. We wished to hide you, allow you to grow into your birthrights. We hoped this day would not come so soon... but it is here. And the time is right."

Dove started to speak, but held her tongue as S'chak suddenly turned and roared. He shattered the containers, spilling the energy into the air. "We were never meant to be more than holders for the power. We have allowed you to grow strong -- now it is time for you to Ascend!"

"You will be able to access your full power in time, Sara. Be strong. You have died thrice, do not do so again for many ages!"

Sara felt like screaming as she saw S'chak and Kor break apart, becoming just another element to the energy that flowed all around her. The blue tendrils snaked into Sara's soul, furthering the invisible changes she'd been undergoing for nearly three years.

Jake Morrison was in agony. He'd continued berating Extant, taunting him again and again. He had to make sure that Hall stayed here, away from Sara. He looked up at Extant, his lower lip bloodied and swollen. One eye was closed and blind. "Go ahead and kill me, Hall. I bet it makes you feel big, huh? Almost as big as watching Dove get killed... or your brother."

Extant raised a hand, energy crackling. "If it were possible to kill you here, I would. But this place is neither life nor death. It's eternity. But I can banish you someplace -- someplace you won't like at all. I only brought you here because I was curious about you... but I shouldn't have bothered. You're nothing to me. But I'll tell you this -- your wife is going to forget all about you--"

Jake's mouth dropped open as the red energy spilled out from the cave. It whipped around Extant's legs, streaking towards Hawk. It embraced him, filling his lungs, his mouth, his eyes and his heart. Flashes of lives passed before his eyes, T'Charr's forbidden love of a follower of Order; Hank Hall's journey from hero to madness, ending with the separation of T'Charr and Monarch; and the death of Jake Morrison. In that moment, he became more.

Extant backed away, watching as Dove flew forth from the cave. Hawk rose to his feet, seemingly taller and bulkier.

A love that had lasted for centuries was reflected in his eyes. "Now that you're here... Yes."

The duo turned towards Extant, regarding him with more pity than hatred. "You're more than a wayward child, Extant. You're an insult to everything Hank Hall really way. You're a mockery of him. A twisted, distorted reflection. And we're going to destroy you." Dove's words were spoken calmly. The part of her that was Dawn felt no special regard for Extant -- she meant every word she'd said. The true Hank, the essence of the man, was in Hawk.

The holy light of Order burst forth from Dove, joined by the dark power of Chaos which roiled from Hawk's body. The twin shields of light met in the center, forming a unified purple. Hawk rushed forward, his muscles rippling. His claws dug deep into Extant's torso, spilling forth blood and chronal energy.

Dove swooped low, grabbing Extant's head. She pulled hard, yanking the timelord off-balance. With a grim expression, she pushed her hand into the gaping hole that Hawk had torn in Extant's side. Hawk did the same, grabbing the wound's edge with hands and pulling it wider apart. Extant screamed as his living energy cascaded out into nothingness.

Hawk snarled at him, "You make me sick, Extant. To think that even the smallest part of me became you... It'll never happen again. Ever."

The light which had surrounded both heroes grew in intensity, vaporizing every last trace of the villain.

Hawk held her by the waist. "I know. Nothing dies here. Not for long. But if he makes the mistake of coming back for us... We'll destroy him for good." Jake turned to face her, his face serious. "So what does all this mean?"

"It means we can change back and forth without danger being near for one. I'm positive of that."

Coming up in Hawk & Dove # 7 : A crossover with Ralph Angelo's Firestorm series! A deadly killer is loose in Atlanta, and only our resident heroes -- alongside the Nuclear Man -- can stop him! Plus : Our heroes must continue to adapt to their shocking changes!

This issue is dedicated to the memory
of S'chak and Kor.

1991-2001.

Having learned the utility of reading several issues in a row of a new
series, I read the first four issues of this series consecutively and frankly
was amazed at how much I liked them. The reason being that I've never been
a fan of any of the incarnations of H & D. The concept itself was OK, but I
never warmed to the characters. But with this series, I have.

I love the way that Barry has distilled the concept and grafted it to two
people who are more than just the embodiment of those concepts (ie.... an
aggressive member and a liberal member). Jake & Sara are whole people who
are extremely likeable.

Their marriage is another thing that I really enjoy about this series. The
way that these opposites are married and unified despite certain ideological
differences makes them much more interesting than simple outlines of
agression & peace. Their solution to their issue with Kestrel is
illustrative of this, it is teamwork that brings the solution to the problem,
an understanding of their positions relative to each other not in regards to
Order and Chaos, but as a married couple who love one another.

Plus, the letter columns rock! Overall, this is just a fun series to read.

Before their demise, S'chak and Kor had the following to say :

This one is wise and may yet live to see the dawning of the new age. I like his name, also. 'Tillinger' sounds much like 'Dillinger' and is a name filled with a chaotic rage which no doubt burns just beneath the surface of this one. Truly, he is a--

S'chak... Please. Thank you, David. We felt that grafting the personas of Hawk & Dove onto a married couple would produce very satisfying results -- and we're glad to see that you agree.

This issue marks the end of our first major arc, spanning issues 1-6. I hope you enjoyed it and that it made a bit of sense to you. In future issues, we'll continue defining our heroes and their new powers. For now, it looks like this :

HAWK : Super-strength and durability, increased athletic prowess, magic sense (chaos and order), rapid healing.

DOVE : Flight, super-agility, magic sense (chaos and order), some ability to project the 'force of order' from her body in the form of light.

More powers will be displayed as they continue to become a Lord of Order and a Lord of Chaos.

And one more thing : wasn't there a *third* person transformed by Terataya in Hawk & Dove # 17? Hmm... Whatever became of the man called Crane? Stay tuned.